Reform of EDMs


I appeared today before the Back Bench Business Committee, arguing for a debate on the floor of the House on democratic renewal with a substantive motion on the reform of EDMs.

I would like to see EDMs modified into a system which democratically determines what is debated at back-benchers’ request.  Such a system would include:

  • A minimum amount of support before a notice of a back-bench motion can be published to Members
  • A time-to-live of around a month to ensure motions expire promptly
  • A procedure for bringing before the House the most popular motion or motions

I will also bring this to the Procedure Select Committee. In the meantime, my name will remain on the list of Members who do not participate in what amounts to “Parliamentary graffiti”.

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Comments & Responses

2 Responses so far.

  1. Agree that something needs to be done and so please some of teh new intake are prepared to take a stance. When I set up the http://www.scrapedms.com website there was little appetite for reform in spite of their cost.

    How about having them just electronically – will save close to £1 million a year!

    • Steve Baker says:

      I would certainly support a move to electronic-only EDMs, but I wouldn’t sign them unless there was the formal possibility of them leading to substantive action.